The exploration and production of hydrocarbons require the use of numerous types of tubulars also referred to as pipes. Tubulars include, but are not limited to, drill pipes, casings, tubing, risers, and other threadably connectable elements used in well structures. The connection of “strings” of joined tubulars or “drill strings” is often used to drill a wellbore and, with regards to casing, prevent collapse of the wellbore after drilling. These tubulars are normally assembled in groups of two or more commonly known as “stands.”
Tubular handling systems, also known as racker systems, on drilling rigs are often used to receive tubulars, manipulate them about the rig, assist in the makeup or breakdown of tubular stands, introduce them for connection into the drill string, receive them from the drill string, and perform other tubular manipulations. These racker systems can be large, complex structures with many components and parts that enable them to move the stands to a desired location and to vertically store them in the derrick or mast. The derrick or mast may include a storing structure commonly referred to as a fingerboard. Fingerboards typically include a plurality of horizontally elongated support structures or “fingers” each capable of receiving a plurality of stands.
Land-based mobile drilling rigs are utilized to drill wells at a first location, and then are often moved to a new second location to drill additional wells. The time period for tearing down a rig, transporting it and setting it up in a new location can vary between days and weeks. However, any downtime of the drilling rig results in high costs with little return. In order to minimize this loss in potential revenue, efficient rig tear down and setup are desirable. Current column pipe racker assemblies are not utilized on the land-based mobile drilling rigs and are confined to permanent drilling rig installations in the offshore. Because of their many large components and pieces, their installation requires the use of many cranes and take a relatively large amount of time. The large components, complex installation requirements and lengthy time for installation result in column rackers utilized on fixed drilling installations and Mobile Offshore Drilling Units (MODU). What is needed is a racker system that is more easily torn down and setup and designed to work with land-based mobile drilling rigs.
The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods that overcome one or more of the shortcomings of the prior art.